Football Earns Second Consecutive Winning Season, Wins 45-25 over Wesleyan on Senior Day

After topping W.Va. Wesleyan 45-25, State finishes with their second consecutive winning season.

Wesleyan
took an early 6-0 lead after Kenny Lewis Jr. hauled in a 42-yard touchdown pass
from quarterback Luke Casey.

Dant’e
Jones put State on the scoreboard with a 30-yard touchdown run, and then Dakota
Booth scored a 65-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Faustino Saucedo to
put the Yellow Jackets ahead 14-6.

Elijah
Nelson scored for Wesleyan after catching a 5-yard touchdown pass from Matt
Vinson, bringing Wesleyan within two, down 14-12, after the two-point
conversion attempt failed.

Jones
scored his second of the day for State, this time from 21 yards out putting State
ahead 21-12.

Sterling
Dewdney hauled in a 5-yard touchdown pass from Vinson, bringing Wesleyan within
three down 21-18 after the two-point conversion failed.

Kicker
Aaron Ball closed out the first half with a 26-yard field goal pushing State’s
lead too 24-18 heading into the halftime break.

Saucedo
started the second half off with a 3-yard touchdown run, putting State ahead
31-18 early in the third quarter.

Dewdney
scored his second of the day for Wesleyan, this time from 39-yards out,
bringing Wesleyan within six.

Dylan
Lucas scored for State from 1-yard out putting State ahead 38-25, and A.J.
Barrette closed out the day with a 69-yard touchdown pass from Saucedo, setting
the final score of 45-25.

Saucedo
went 18 for 30 on his passing attempts, for 287 yards, two touchdowns, and an
interception.

Carl
Garmon outgained Wesleyan with 202 rushing yards, on 22 carries. Dant’e Jones
also went for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

A.J.
Barrette led state with six catches for 127 yards and a touchdown, while Tyrell
Henderson had seven catches for 59 yards.

State
finishes 6-5 overall on the season, while going 5-5 in MEC play, for the second
consecutive winning season, giving Head Coach John Pennington two winning
seasons, in two seasons as Head Coach. State wound up fifth in the final MEC
Standings. Wesleyan finishes 1-10 overall, and last in the MEC.

About Noah Fulks

Noah Fulks is sports editor of the YJ. He is a member of the State men’s tennis team, and a huge fan of the women’s tennis team. He leads the YJ sports staff in reporting about all State sports team.